How to Participate in the Stars of Gratitude Program

Here’s what you need to know about our Stars of Gratitude Program:

–Donate worn out U.S. flags that are ready to be retired. Please only send flags with embroidered stars (no silk screen stars, please). Feel free to collect flags from your community too.

–Flag size 3 feet by 5 feet or larger

–Please include a note with brief information about the flag — where it flew, who owned it, any special story about the flag. Please mention if it was used as a casket flag, as those will receive extra special attention. When possible, please include 50 copies of the note (up to 2 inches by 4 inches; 10 notes per regular size piece of paper) of this information so we may include it with each star shipped to a Service Member or Veteran.)

–Ship flags to:
Operation Gratitude
21100 Lassen Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(262)674-7281

–Please fill out a Donation Form so we can send a proper letter of thanks to you.

We have volunteers who will cut out and wash the canton (the blue part with the stars), cut out the stars, bag each one with your note about the flag and properly retire the remnants of your flag. (Optional: Do this part yourself and send us the prepared and bagged stars; you can retire the remnants locally.)

–If you’d like to participate but do not have any flags, we’re also asking for donations of snack-size zip-lock baggies for this program. Find some on our Amazon.com “Wish List”.

Want to know how this program began? Read “Stars of Gratitude” to learn more.

Please send questions to Info@OperationGratitude.com

Thank you for helping us launch this very meaningful new program! The recipients of your stars will be touched and honored by this simple, yet powerful, expression of patriotic respect for their service.

About Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude annually sends 200,000+ care packages to Veterans, First Responders, New Recruits, Wounded Heroes, their Care Givers, and to individually named U.S. service members deployed overseas and their families waiting at home. Each package is filled with food, entertainment, hygiene and hand-made items, as well as personal letters of support. Our mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of the Military and First Responder communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for civilians anywhere in America to express their appreciation to all who serve our nation. Each package contains donated product valued between $45 and $100 and costs our organization $15 to assemble and ship. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped more than 1.6 Million Care Packages.

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4 Responses to How to Participate in the Stars of Gratitude Program

Patricia says:

May 29, 2017 at 8:37 pm

Oh my – I was unaware of this program and reading about it brought tears to my eyes as I fly a flag every day (lit at night) and actually just retired one as I felt it was too worn from the wind and snow and rain and sun…………….I am going to do this and get these out to you. Patti Strapple, WI Ambassador for Operation Gratitude.

- Operation Gratitude says:
  
  May 30, 2017 at 3:55 pm
  
  Thank you, Patti!
  
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